


MY GIRL

by maaldas



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, AriYama, F/M, Family, Kid Fic, Songfic, gender switch, yamaari
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25199467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maaldas/pseuds/maaldas
Summary: Yuya Takaki meets Dai-chan (Ariko in the Radio Drama), his high school sweetheart, for the first time since their graduation day. Dai-chan already married to Yamada, their other classmate and has a 4yo child (nearly 5yo) with him. Takaki was Dai-chan's first love and the surprise meeting with him brings back memories that have long been buried and forces old feelings to resurface. On the other hand, Yamada will not let anyone, not even Takaki Yuya, jeopardizes his family's peace and he determines to keep his small family together.
Relationships: Arioka Daiki/Takaki Yuya, Arioka Daiki/Yamada Ryosuke
Kudos: 8





	1. High School Sweetheart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ann_lurvelygurl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ann_lurvelygurl/gifts), [crystilia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystilia/gifts).



> Inspired by May 29th, 2020 Bayjan's Radio Drama. (Please listen to their Radio Drama, it's sooo cute)  
> Daiki played as Ariko but in this story, I keep his own name but change his gender into a female. I hope it's not too confusing. 
> 
> Female characters: Daiki Arioka, Hikaru Yaotome (May add more as the story progress)

(Ah, you know what's up)  
Give it up, give it up, yeah  
I let you know she's my baby  
(Ah, you know what's up)  
Give it up, give it up, yeah  
I let you know she's my baby

"Congratulations, Takaki-san! Your first project is a success!" exclaimed a middle-aged man as he shook hands with a handsome young man.

"Arigato! It's all because of your guidance, sir!" said Takaki Yuya, the handsome young man who was smiling happily listening to his supervisor's praise on his work.

"Because of the success of the last project, I'll appoint you and your team to handle the next project too. I'm waiting for your next success."

"We'll do our best, sir!" Takaki Yuya bowed low at his supervisor before exiting his office.

A group of four young men and a woman waited in front of the supervisor's office and all of them quickly approached Takaki once he closed the office's door.

"Takaki! What did the supervisor say?" asked one of the men.

"We get the next project too, right?" added the woman.

Takaki didn't immediately answer. Instead, he led his team to his cubicle so they could talk freely without disturbing the other employees. He took a seat on his chair while his teammates stood around him eager to listen to what their supervisor had told him.

"Matsumoto-san said I will be the next project team leader, which means we get to do the summer festival project too," said Takaki with a smile. His team greeted the good news with joyful cheers and immediately planned to celebrate their success in karaoke after work.

"Leave the reservation to me," said one of the guys who quickly took his phone out.

"Kaito's girlfriend works in that karaoke club," said another in a stage whisper towards Takaki.

"I heard that!" said Keito as he was waiting for his call to connect. "And she's not my girlfriend, yet."

"Kaito's been making a move on this girl who works in the club for a month now but he never dares to ask her out," whispered Emi, the only woman in their team.

"Why do you look so upset?" asked Takaki before leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Don't tell me you're crushing on Kaito," he guessed, smirking when he saw that his words could pull a reaction out of her.

"What're you talking about!?" grumbled Emi, flustered. Takaki wanted to tease her further but refrained from doing so when Kaito joined them again; telling them that he'd managed to get the club to reserve a VIP room for that night.

"I guess I'll see you guys there after work but I think I'll be a little late. So, please start without me," said Takaki.

"Eh? Are you planning to go somewhere first?" asked one of his teammates.

"Yes, I need to get my phone fixed," Takaki said, lifting his phone.

"Alright, then! We'll see you there and don't be late!" said Kaito before leaving Takaki's cubicle to go to his own. The rest of the team dispersed quickly after that.

$$$

Takaki smiled at the pretty girl who welcomed him in when he stepped into the customer service office of his phone brand. When he told her about his problem she directed him to a customer service booth where another pretty girl had waited.

"Please have a seat! What can I help you with?" said the customer service girl, a bright smile on her face.

Takaki took a seat in front of her work desk and quickly fished his phone out of his pocket. "Yes, I have a problem with my phone. Would you please... eh, wait a minute, Dai-chan?"

Takaki stared at the girl in front of her, recognizing her smile somehow. She didn't look a day older than the last time he saw her five years ago but definitely prettier. There was no mistake that the girl in front of him was Daiki Arioka, his high school sweetheart. The girl looked confused for a moment before recognition bloomed in her eyes.

"Ta...Takaki-kun?" she gasped.

"Ah, so it's really you!" exclaimed Takaki happily as memories of their high school time together filled his mind. "It's a surprise to meet you here. You're getting very pretty that I almost didn't recognize you. How are you now, Dai-chan?"

Receiving the compliment, Arioka Daiki blushed prettily. "You're still the same smooth talker Takaki, I see."

"And you're still the cute Dai-chan. Ah, no! You're stunningly beautiful Miss Arioka now," complimented Takaki who still couldn't turn his eyes off of his former girlfriend.

He loved to see that Daiki's blush had spread all over her plump cheeks, tempting him to pinch them. Too deeply trapped in his daydreams, he missed what Daiki said. "Excuse me, what did you say just now?"

"Ah, it's Yamada now," said Daiki, shyly tucking her hair behind her left ear.

Takaki frowned in confusion. He was sure that his ex-girlfriend's family name was Arioka and not Yamada. Did he confuse her name with another's?

"What? I don't understand. Isn't your family name Arioka? I'm sure I remember it correctly."

"Yes, you're right, Takaki-kun! My maiden name is Arioka but I've been married to Ryosuke Yamada for the past five years," explained Daiki.

Takaki was taken aback. "Eh? You marry Yamada?" he reiterated, making sure that he heard it correctly.

"Yes!" affirmed Daiki, dashing his hope to rekindle their past relationship. "We have a daughter too," Daiki paused to pull out her phone before showing him a picture of a cute little girl in her gallery. "This is Yuki-chan. She's five," she told him, smiling proudly at the picture of her daughter.

"Wow! She does look like you," Takaki said in awe. The little girl in the picture did look like her and she also inherited Daiki's bright smile and pretty round eyes. He was sure that she would steal a lot of boys' hearts in the future. "She would steal many boys' hearts in the future just like her mother," he said.

"No, no, she's still a baby," Daiki giggled, tucking her phone back inside her pocket. Then, as if just realizing the purpose of Takaki's visit, she gasped, "Oh, no! You come here to get your phone fixed, right? I'm so sorry for being unprofessional!" Daiki bowed at him looking very troubled.

"It's okay! I'm glad I can talk with you today. I really miss you, you know." Takaki unlocked his phone and put it on Daiki's desk allowing the girl to check its condition.

Daiki pulled on an extension data cable and immediately hooked his phone into her computer and ran a diagnosis program on it. She frowned after a while.

"I think there's something wrong with the interface program. It doesn't seem to cause you much trouble other than slowing down your phone a bit and sometimes forcing you to restart some applications if you leave it idle for too long."

"Yes, I think that's what's happened these past few days. I know I should get my phone fixed sooner but I was too busy with my project."

"Daijobu. It's not too late to fix it and I don't think you need a new replacement just yet."

"Ah, yokatta!" exclaimed Takaki relieved. "Will it take a long time to fix it?"

"I don't think so. Erm... maybe an hour?" she estimated.

Glancing at his wristwatch, Takaki nodded. "Alright then, I'll wait."

"Do you have to go somewhere?" asked Daiki in concern.

"Actually, my colleagues invited me to a karaoke club after work but it's alright. I've told them to start without me. I'll catch up with them later."

"I'll do my best to fix your phone sooner then."

"Thank you so much!"

Takaki quietly watched her work on her computer so as not to disturb her but inwardly amazed at the way she swiftly handled the problem. He was instantly reminded of the reason why he was attracted to her in the first place.

"You've always been good with electronic devices, huh?" commented Takaki. "I remember when Yamada had a problem with his gaming software he always came to you. I was always so jealous of you both."

Daiki smiled, eyes never left the computer screen as her hand flew over the keyboard. "I was a nerd back then, ne?" she said in a small voice as if embarrassed of her past self before continuing with a cute giggle, "I guess I still am."

"I dunno why but ..." Takaki leaned closer towards Daiki's desk and lowered his voice so as not to be heard by others nearby. "I think nerdy girls are hot."

Daiki froze in her place and looked as if she forgot to breathe; face red and mouth agape. It took a while before she was able to compose herself and continue working. Takaki enjoyed watching her flustered like that. Either it was her who still harbored feelings for him or it was due to his natural charm, both possibilities had their advantages and he was eager to explore it further. He spent the next hour watching Daiki work on his phone while reminiscing on their high school time together.

He became close with the girl after the two of them were appointed as representative committees for their school's cultural festival. It was their senior year and Takaki regretted not paying attention to her before then. Daiki was smart, cute, and cheerful and her smile could light up the whole room. She was also kindhearted and never hesitated in lending a helping hand towards anyone who needed help. She possessed this calming aura that oozed comfort to anyone around her. To be able to work alongside her was heaven. It was a very pleasant experience for Takaki and he wanted to always be surrounded by that feeling. So much so that at the end of the festival he braved himself to ask her out on a date.

"To be honest, that time was the most exciting and fun time I had throughout the year," Takaki sighed, eyes glazed over as his mind went down memory lane. He was so into the memories that he missed Daiki's comment. "I'm sorry, Dai-chan! Seeing you again reminds me of our happy time together."

"Understandable. It's good that you feel that way, Takaki-kun. Anyway, I think I've finished fixing your phone," Daiki said while her hands swiftly disconnected Takaki's phone from her computer.

"That was fast!" praised Takaki which Daiki responded with a smile.

"We will issue a warranty note. So, next time you have a problem with your phone you can bring it back here but I hope that won't happen."

"Why? You don't wanna see me again?" Takaki teased.

"No, no, no... that's not what I mean," Daiki said in panic before quickly explaining. "If you return here with a problem then it would mean there's something wrong with our product and it'll look bad for our company's image."

"So, is it okay if I come here just to see you?" asked Takaki again with a smirk. He really enjoyed her flustered expression.

"I... I don't know why you'd do that," murmured Daiki softly.

Takaki chuckled. "It's okay, Dai-chan. I was just teasing you. Well, then I guess I should go now. My colleagues are waiting for me at the club. Thank you for your assistant, Yamada-san!"

Takaki bowed and waited until she raised her head before winking at her. He walked away grinning at the sound of her choked gasp. Turned out, his decision to return to Japan after finishing his study abroad was a good one. He was looking forward to seeing her again and would definitely find a way to be able to visit her again soon.

to be continued ...


	2. Nerdy Bookworm

Nante ioutomo nanimo kawaranai sa

Whatever is said, nothing will change

She's my girl (She's my girl)

She's my girl (She's my girl)

She's my babe (She's my babe)

She's my babe (She's my babe)

Watashi wa shinai yo My love

I won't hand you over My love

_“She’s my girl, she’s my baby… Watashi wa shinai yo My love…”_

Armed with a pair of earphones and his phone's internet connection, Ryosuke Yamada was busy having a jam with the newly released single from his favorite artist on the school's rooftop when the music suddenly stopped.

"Eh? Is this DJ-D&R's newest single?" said a soft voice next to him as his best friend Daiki Arioka picked up his phone and scrolled through the music list in his music app.

Ryosuke frowned at her and snatched his phone back from her unresisting hand. "Gimme that! I haven't finished listening to their song, you know," he grumbled.

Daiki flashed him a cute smile. "Ryo-chan," she intoned.

Ryosuke knew his best friend. When she acted cute like this, there must be something that she wanted. On a normal day, he would gladly help her with anything but today was a particularly bad day for Ryosuke. Starting from his gaming devices that suddenly broke down in the middle of a war game competition to the scolding he received from the teachers because he failed in submitting his homework. In his defense, he spent his spare time at home trying to fix his device. Trying was the operative word since he was not very well versed in technology. Daiki was usually the one he asked for help in any techno related things because she was a nerd but his best friend barely had time for him anymore ever since she went out with that Takaki guy from 3-B.

"What d'you want?" Ryosuke grumbled.

She pouted cutely. "Would you be a dear and accompany me to the bookstore tomorrow on Sunday? Shigeaki Kato-san's new novel was released yesterday and Yuri-chan has already got hers as a birthday present from her parents. She'll also be going to her grandparent's house tomorrow, so she can't go with me to the bookstore," Daiki explained.

"Why don't you go with your new boyfriend?"

Daiki sighed and her smile dimmed. "Takaki-kun can't go. He said he has a family matter to attend to. Please go to the bookstore with me, Ryo-chan, please," she begged him.

"I'm busy too. Sorry!"

"Busy doing what? You usually just play games on Sunday," accused Daiki. She was right of course. That was what he usually did on Sunday but since his gaming device had broken down he had lots of spare time. There was no reason for him not to accept Daiki's invitation. It could be fun. He could also go to the game center afterward. Yet, his ego told him to make her sweat a little as she was also part of the problem.

"Sorry, I have to fix my gaming device. It broke down two weeks ago and I still haven't managed to fix it, yet. There's a gaming competition in three days," he grumbled.

Daiki bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes down. Ryosuke knew that she must feel guilty and he actually felt bad for causing her to feel that way but his selfishness won out. Rationally, he knew that he didn't have the right to demand her attention and time anymore. He was just a friend while Takaki was her boyfriend. It was understandable that she would prioritize her boyfriend but he was lonely. He wanted her to feel bad for causing him distress for the past few weeks.

"You can use mine for the competition," offered Daiki, looking up at him through her pretty long lashes. "And I'll help you fix yours after we return from the bookstore."

When she asked him nicely like that, Ryosuke couldn't help but agree to her bargain. He let out a long exasperated sigh and said, "Fine, I'll go with you but we go straight to your house to get your device afterward, alright?"

Daiki nodded. "You can borrow it for as long as you want. I wouldn't have time to play anyway."

"Of course you wouldn't since Takaki takes all of your time and attention now," grumbled Ryosuke under his breath.

"Eh? What did you say, Ryo-chan?"

"Nothing!" Ryosuke quickly said as he was busying himself with collecting his earphones and phone from the floor. "Let's get back to class, now. I don't wanna have another lecture for tardiness from Sakurai sensei."

"That's your own fault. Who told you to wake up late this morning," scolded Daiki.

"Well, I'm sorry. I spent all night trying to fix my device to no avail because someone I'm usually counting on things like this is apparently too busy having dates," countered Ryosuke.

"Are you talking about me?" asked Daiki, her voice rose a bit in indignation.

He didn't know why but when they returned to class arguing like that, it was the happiest that he felt since the cultural festival two months ago.

$$$

"It's so crowded!" exclaimed Ryosuke when they stepped inside the bookstore. There was a long line in front of the cashier already.

"Kato-san's previous novel is a bestseller and this newest book is rumored to be just as good," informed Daiki.

Ryosuke, who was not that interested in literature if it didn't have anything to do with gaming reference, just nodded along. He left her queuing along with the other customers while he browsed the shelves. To his surprise, there were also books about gaming and game references. Apparently, there were people who studied the impact of playing First Person Shooting games on children's cognitive development. It was an interesting read but not enough to make him buy the book. He wouldn't read it anyway. He didn't need a book to tell him why he should or should not do his hobby. Daiki would probably love to read it since she was a nerd. Should he buy the book for her?

While Ryosuke was contemplating the merit of gifting a book about game playing to his best friend, something caught his attention. The bookshelf was located near the front window of the store which provided him with a good view of the sidewalk in front of the store. A couple just walked by in front of the storefront window and Ryosuke was sure he recognized the guy. He quickly returned the book in his hand to its place on the bookshelf before hurrying towards the entrance of the store. He was sure he saw Takaki walking by with a pretty girl by his side but when he was outside he couldn't find him anywhere.

"What are you doing here, Ryo-chan?"

Ryosuke jolted in surprise when Daiki suddenly appeared behind him. He stared at her for a few seconds before answering, "Uh, nothing! I just thought I saw something weird," he mumbled.

"Something weird like what?" Daiki asked, frowning. "I think you're the one who's weird standing in the middle of the sidewalk like this blocking other people."

Realizing his error, Ryosuke quickly stepped aside and out of the way. Deciding to not worry her with his suspicion he asked her about her book instead. "So, did you get your book?"

"Of course! Here it is!" Daiki lifted his book in front of her chest, showing him the front cover. "I can't wait to read it already!" she exclaimed happily, eyes sparkling with happiness and looking so cute that Ryosuke couldn't help but smile at her.

"Great! Let's go to your house to get your gaming device then you can read your book to your heart's content." Ryosuke grabbed Daiki's wrist and led her towards the direction of her house while his best friend was busy admiring the cover of her newly purchased book.

"The book's hardcover is truly of high quality, ne?" Daiki gushed. "Look, Ryo-chan they even include a page marker. It's so cute!"

Ryosuke didn't comment, content to just let her fawned over her favorite author's book. He was sure he would hear a lot about this new book over the next few weeks or even months until the girl found something else she was interested in. The only thing she refused to talk about was her relationship with Takaki, the boy from 3-B class. Ryosuke only knew that they worked together as committee representatives during the cultural festival a couple of months ago. He didn't see her often at the time because she was always so busy with her tasks. Then, right after the festival ended, he heard some of his classmates' gossip about this new couple, Yuya Takaki and Daiki Arioka.

In almost three years of school, Ryosuke had only seen Takaki in passing but didn't really know him. While Daiki and he were miraculously always grouped together in the same class, Takaki had never been in their class. They also never joined the same club. Ryosuke only knew that Takaki was the heartthrob of their high school ever since the first grade. He was tall, handsome, and had a mysterious aura that apparently succeeded in making girls crazy.

When he first confirmed their relationship from Daiki, he was surprised. Not that he was jealous or anything but unlike the majority of the girls in their school, Daiki never cared about Takaki before. Daiki played games, talked about firewall hack 101, fawned over book authors but never showed any interest in Takaki. Their relationship was so sudden that it managed to throw Ryosuke out of a loop but he decided to trust her because Daiki had always been a good judge of character.

"Dai-chan, will you hurry up? You can read your new book later," complained Ryosuke when he realized that Daiki was not walking right by his side anymore. Thinking that the girl must have been too distracted by her book, which was a normal situation for Daiki, he retraced his steps.

He found Daiki in front of a café not too far from the bookstore. She stood right in front of the big glass window with her new book wrapped tightly in front of her chest and her eyes stared through the glass with an unreadable look on her face.

"Hey, what are you doing standing there like a loon? Come on, Dai-chan. We'll miss the train!" grumbled Ryosuke in annoyance. When the girl refused to move even after he scolded her, Ryosuke frowned and followed the direction of her stare. "What are you looking at, anyway?"

It was Takaki Yuya. He sat at the corner table near the back wall with a pretty girl in front of him, talking and smiling at each other. So, he was right, after all, Ryosuke thought. It was really Takaki who passed by the bookstore's window a moment ago. Not wanting to see them for much longer, Ryosuke pulled on Daiki's arm.

"Come on, let's go home now."

Daiki followed him this time, walking behind him while occasionally looking back at the café as if to make sure that the boy she saw in there was her boyfriend. Even though he resented Takaki for taking too much of Daiki's time, Ryosuke still wished what he saw in that café wasn't true. He hated to see her sad.

$$$

The next day at school, Daiki avoided Takaki at all costs which gave Ryosuke a mixed feeling about the whole situation. On one hand, he was glad that Daiki spent more time with her friends again like going to the cafeteria with Yuri and the other girls or discussing gameplay with him. Yet, on the other hand, it hurt him to see her staring at her phone with sadness in her eyes whenever she thought that no one was looking. That Takaki boy must have sent her messages asking why she was avoiding him. Ryosuke wondered if she had ended things with him. He never saw her cry, though. Shouldn't a girl cry when they break up with their boyfriend? She didn't even cry on that day when they caught her boyfriend cheating on her. She only sat quietly in her room staring into the distance letting Ryosuke collect her gaming device on his own. Ryosuke was not good at consoling a crying girl, so he was somewhat glad. But he worried nonetheless. He understood that she was a thinker who internalized things inside her mind and Takaki was her first boyfriend. Maybe she was just in shock?

The second day, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to talk with the other boy. He went to that guy's class during break and asked him to see him on the rooftop after school.

"So, I'm here now. What do you wanna talk about?" asked Yuya Takaki once he stood next to Ryosuke who was staring off through the safety fence around the rooftop.

"Let me cut to the chase. I want you to stop bothering Dai-chan again and stop messaging her." There he said it, plain and clear and to the point. He was sure that the other boy understood his meaning.

"So, she showed you my messages, then? I should've known," responded Takaki with a bitter tone in his voice.

Ryosuke frowned. "No, she doesn't. I'm just guessing but your response confirms my suspicion."

"I dunno why she was avoiding me and never replied to my messages. I don't know what I did wrong," muttered Takaki.

"Did I hear you right?" Ryosuke sneered at him. "You really are something, you know? I don't know you that well but I've always thought that you must be a great guy. Because why would all of those girls be crazy about you if you aren't? But it turns out that you're just a jerk."

Ryosuke jolted in surprise when Takaki slammed his fist at the safety fence before pointing his finger at him. "Look, I don't have a problem with you. I know that you're Dai-chan's best friend but I don't appreciate the way you're insulting me in my face as if you know me. You don't know me at all! You hear me?!"

"You're cheating on her, you son of a bitch!" Ryosuke shouted at him and was elated to see his shocked face. He probably didn't expect that his dirty deed was caught.

"What?!" Takaki stared at him in shock.

"We caught you having a date with your other girlfriend in a café last Sunday. What a remarkable stunt you did, refusing Dai-chan's request to accompany her to buy her favorite author's new novel just to have a lunch date with another girl. Must be nice to be so good looking and popular, huh? How many of girl's hearts have you crushed already?"

"That... that's not true! That's ..." Takaki stuttered.

"Oh, so that wasn't you the other day? Because we clearly saw you there. Well, Dai-chan saw you first actually," Ryosuke said with a smirk, twisting the knife even deeper.

"I can explain! That's not like what you think! She was just my cousin," said Takaki before muttering to himself, "Oh god, so that's why she's been avoiding me. I have to explain it to her."

"Don't bother. She won't talk to you. Besides, did I tell you not to bother Dai-chan again?"

"I'm not talking to you! I'm gonna explain everything to Dai-chan and you can't stop me! She'll understand. I'm sure she will!"

"What part of 'don't bother Dai-chan again' that you don't understand, you scum!" Ryosuke growled, grabbing the lapels of Takaki's school uniform.

"Get your hands off me, bastard!" Takaki cursed and pushed Ryosuke's chest hard.

Ryosuke who had lost his temper retaliated with a punch at Takaki's jaw in which Takaki responded with a punch of his own. That night, both of the boys went home with a split lip, bruised cheeks, and swollen knuckles.

to be continued ...


	3. Unsung Hero

you know kanojo to boku to no aida wo Can' t you see? Jama wa dekinai

you know in between me and her Can't you see? Hindrances won't do

So just stop (just stop) and go (Just go)

So just stop (just stop) and go (Just go)

Bokutachi wa hanarenai (I don't really care)

We can't be separated (I don't really care)

“Dai-chan, hand me over one of the beakers, please?” asked Yuri Chinen from across the table.

“Oh, here you go!” Daiki said as he handed over the beaker and watched as her lab partner used it to measure the solutions before pouring it slowly into a Florence flask.

“Here! Swirl it slowly with your hand. I’ll set up the burner,” said Yuri.

Daiki did as she was told, swirling the solution slowly and timing it using her wristwatch while Yuri prepared the burner.

“I think one minute is enough, right?” asked Daiki.

“Yes. We can heat it up now.”

Daiki put the burning flask on top of the burner contraption while Yuri lit up the fire.

“Yosh! Now that we have half an hour of idle time, I wanna ask you something,” said Yuri after she adjusted the fire on the burner.

“If you wanna ask me if I’ve finished reading Kato-san’s new novel the answer is no, I haven’t finished it, yet.”

“It’s been three days and you haven’t finished it? That’s so unlike you Dai-chan,” commented Yuri. “Here I am burning with anticipation to discuss it with you but since you hate spoilers I have to refrain from blurting out the storyline!”

Daiki chuckled. “Yes, yes, I’m very sorry for making you suffer, Yuri-chan but I really am very busy lately. I’m sorry!” Daiki said, making a troubled face to get her friend to believe her.

“Busy avoiding Takaki, you mean?” Yuri guessed correctly. “I often see him lurking outside of our classroom for the past three days. It’s annoying, you know.”

Apparently, lying to Yuri was out of the question since the girl was too perceptive. Daiki let out a long-suffering sigh. “I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, Yuri-chan.”

“Well, I don’t really know him and not really care about him either but I’d be happy to slap him around if you ask me to,” offered Yuri with a serious face.

This was what Daiki loved about Yuri. The petite girl was sharp and smart-mouthed with a no-nonsense attitude that amazed Daiki. She became close to Yuri when they were assigned as lab partners at the beginning of the school year and found out that both of them were fans of the famous novelist Shigeaki Kato.

Daiki winched in sympathy for the suffering that Yuya Takaki would experience if she let Yuri have a go at him. “No, no, it’s okay, Yuri-chan. You don’t have to do it.”

“Well, I’ll still kick his balls if he lurks around our classroom again with or without your permission. So, if you care about whether or not he’ll be able to continue his family name, you better talk to him and resolve both of your problems,” said Yuri threateningly.

“Stop saying things like that, please. You won’t get a boyfriend with that attitude, you know,” teased Daiki.

“Who says I care about boys, especially high school boys. They’re immature and childish. Now, Ohno sensei on the other hand …”

Daiki laughed out loud which resulted in a scolding from their teacher but she appreciated Yuri’s sense of humor. Satoshi Ohno was their music teacher and apparently the only male in school that met Yuri Chinen’s approval.

“You and your taste in men Yuri-chan,” whispered Daiki exasperatedly as she shook her head in amusement in which Yuri replied with a sassy wink.

She promised her to talk to Yuya and resolve their problem. She had thought long and hard the past three days, questioning her own feelings about Yuya Takaki, questioning her own worth. She never knew that broken heart was this painful. She spent every night crying her eyes out, feeling worthless. Even reading Yuya’s messages hurt. She abandoned her study and any of her hobbies and only had enough energy to go to school, pretending that nothing was wrong.

Ryosuke tried to cheer her up at school by engaging her in a discussion about their favorite songs, movies, and games. He told her about his crazy ideas because Ryosuke always had crazy ideas about anything. It was bearable at school. She could avoid Yuya by clinging to her friends but at home, the self-doubt and negative thoughts returned. 

In the past three days, Yuya had been messaging her nonstop asking why she avoided him even though she never replied. At first, he thought she was angry at him for not accompanying her to the bookstore. Then, on the third day, his messages changed. He admitted that he went to a cafe with a girl last Sunday and asked, no, begged her to trust him and listen to his explanation because apparently she had misunderstood. Yuya’s latest messages had become such a beacon of hope for her fragile teenager’s heart. It was enough to make her think that perhaps her love life wasn’t so pathetic after all. It also encouraged her to give him another chance. She really wanted to believe him that the first time she saw him again black and blue, her heart was sold.

“Takaki-kun! What has happened to you?!” exclaimed Daiki when he saw yellowish bruises on Yuya’s face and a crazy thought slipped into her mind. “Did Yuri-chan do this?”

“Huh? Who’s Yuri-chan?” asked Yuya dumbfounded, winching when Daiki tried to touch his face. He quickly seized her delicate fingers and hugged the aforementioned appendage with both hands. “Dai-chan, I’m really sorry for making you sad. I understand that you’re still angry at me and if you don’t wanna see me again, then I promise not to bother you again, but please listen to my explanation first.”

Daiki nodded while her heart was thumping loudly from Yuya’s sweet gesture. When she agreed to meet him after school on one of the benches that lined the schoolyard, she was only prepared to hear his explanation, not to get romanced like this. As expected, her traitor heart was too weak against Takaki Yuya’s charm.

“The girl that you saw the other day at the café with me is my cousin. Her name is Hikaru. She’s half American. You know that I live alone, right?” asked Yuya, which was answered with a nod from Daiki. “My family moved to New York after my dad passed away last year because we don’t have any family in Japan. They wanted to take me too but I insisted to finish my high school and later University in Japan. Last Saturday, Hikaru came to visit me. She loves music and arts and is interested to continue her study here in Japan. Here, let me show you our family pictures.”

Yuya took out his phone and scrolled through his gallery and showed Daiki pictures of his family. There were people who looked like Yuya in the pictures; two young girls and an older lady who must be his sisters and mother and an older man who must be his late father. Then, there were also pictures of the same people with several strangers. One of them looked exactly like the girl that Daiki saw last Sunday in that café. She must be Hikaru, Yuya’s cousin. She was very pretty with blond hair, big eyes, and a very pointed nose.

“This is Hikaru,” Yuya said, pointing at the blond-haired girl that had taken Daiki’s interest. “You mustn’t recognize her ‘cuz her hair was black when she came to visit me last Sunday. She loves to experiment with hair color, saying that it’s an art of some sort. I don’t really get her,” said Yuya with a laugh and a shake of his head. He continued to scroll the pictures in his gallery, smiling. He must be really missing his family, Daiki thought and she felt bad for thinking the worst of him.

“You must miss them so badly, Takaki-kun,” whispered Daiki.

“I am,” said Yuya, smiling at her. “But being with you makes it bearable.” Yuya took both of her hands and kissed them. “You’re full of laughter and I love spending time with you. I wanna share your laugh, Dai-chan. Please, share them with me.”

What should Daiki do when Yuya begged her like this, then? She wouldn’t have the heart to refuse his plea. Not to mention that she had already given her heart to him. She scooted closer to him and shyly said, “I’d love to share more laughter with you, Takaki-kun.”

“Yokatta! You make me so happy, Dai-chan!” exclaimed Yuya, hugging Daiki tightly. Daiki’s heart felt as if it might burst out of her chest due to the extreme happiness that she felt being in Yuya’s embrace. Her cheeks felt warm and she hid her face on her boyfriend’s broad chest, inhaling Yuya’s manly musk. A few seconds later, a thought jolted her upright again.

“Wait a minute! You haven’t told me who has made your face like this, Takaki-kun. If it wasn’t Yuri-chan, then who?” demanded Daiki.

“Let’s not talk about it, okay? It’s fine. We’re boys. We’re used to this. You should’ve seen the other guy,” Yuya said trying to joke and deflect the issue but Daiki had none of it. She had to know who had beaten her boyfriend because she had a suspicion. Yet, Yuya kept mum about it.

“I can’t imagine you picking a fight with anyone but there are people who would gladly slap you around and one of them is Yuri-chan,” said Daiki.

Yuya raised his eyebrow in disbelief. “Although her name is cute, I’m starting to get scared of this Yuri-chan.”

“But if it’s not Yuri-chan … then, Ryo-chan?” Daiki continued with her deduction ignoring Yuya’s comment. “I swear to god, Ryo-chan, if it’s really you…”

“Let’s stop that thought right there, Dai-chan. Forget about it!” Yuya reached to grasp her right hand. “I dunno if it’s a proper thing to do because we haven’t even been together for very long … erm… I would love to have you visit my apartment. It doesn’t have to be today,” he quickly added.

Daiki felt honored. Inviting her to visit his home was a grand gesture of trust from Yuya Takaki. It meant that Yuya trusted her with his privacy and Daiki almost swooned on the spot.

“I’m so happy that Takaki-kun trusts me this much. If it’s okay with you, I’d love to visit your home today.”

Yuya smiled widely at her before his smile dimmed and turned into an embarrassed one.

"Eh, why? What is it, Takaki-kun?"

Rubbing his neck and avoiding Daiki's eyes he shyly said, “I hope you don’t mind going shopping with me before we go home because I don’t have anything edible in my fridge.”

Daiki giggled. “I’d love to go shopping with you. Shall we go now?”

Yuya grinned and grasped her hand. "Let's go!" 

to be continued ...


	4. Entangled Thread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the levee breaks ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer : See Part One
> 
> Also, I would suggest listening to 'My Girl' while reading this story. It's AriYama unit song that also gives life to this story. Consider it a songfic for My Girl. Happy reading!

Dare yori mo chikaku de (Ah) mamoru to kimetanda (Yes)  
More than anyone else close to me (Ah) I have decided to protect her (Yes)  
Hanasanai (No) watasanai itsumademo She is my baby  
I won't let her go (No) I won't give her up, Forever She is my baby  
Ano mabushii egao wo tada miteiru nante dekinai kara  
Cuz I can't just look at that dazzling smile  
Ima hikiyoseyou (Listen up she is my...)  
Let's draw closer now (Listen up she is my...)

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_"Dare yori mo chikaku de (Ah) mamoru to kimetanda (Yes)... Hanasanai (No) watasanai itsumademo she is my baby ..."_

The words of the song's lyric flew from Ryosuke's lips as he lip-synced to DJ-D&R's new song. His whole face was throbbing since morning and he had trouble concentrating on all of the lectures. Adding to that, he had seen something the previous day which soured his mood further. So, he decided to just skip the last two classes and escaped to the rooftop in an attempt to improve his mood by listening to his favorite artist's music from his app.

He was lying on his side facing the fence on the rooftop with a pair of earphones connected to his music app when his best friend came to see him a few minutes after school was over.

"Ryo-chan, can I talk to you please?" Daiki called from behind him.

Suddenly, there was this weird feeling in his stomach that he couldn't comprehend. It felt like a painful tight knot, which was weird because the part of his body that should be hurting was his face.

"What d'you want? Go away!" yelled Ryosuke without even moving from his position. "Anyway, congrats! I see you've made up with your boyfriend. I saw you two hugging it out yesterday."

"Since when did you like to spy on people, Ryo-chan?"

"Since my best friend got stolen from me," murmured Ryosuke bitterly.

It wasn't his attention to spy on them, really. He just accidentally saw her and that Takaki boy hugged each other on the bench at the side of the schoolyard the previous day. He didn't know what Takaki had told her but he knew that Daiki would confront him. The girl was strong-willed and Ryosuke knew that she would be angry at his meddling in her affair, especially if she knew about the fighting, but he couldn't see her being drowned in misery for much longer. Even though the result was the opposite of what he had hoped for he was still glad to see her smile again.

"What are you mumbling about?" grumbled Daiki before taking a deep breath and calling at him again in a softer tone of voice. "Will you please look at me properly? I need to talk to you about something." When Ryosuke still didn't move, she added, "Please, Ryosuke."

If anyone asked, Ryosuke would insist that it's the use of his proper name that made him relented and not the soft plea in her voice. Ryosuke Yamada was not sweet on Daiki Arioka. She was his best friend; no more, no less.

Ryosuke let out a tired sigh as his stomach continued to roll nauseatingly. He knew that this talk wouldn't end well, not when she saw his face but he couldn't resist it when she asked him earnestly like this. Daiki had never been fond of violence. She disliked anyone who preferred to use their fists instead of their wits to solve things and always lectured him about the importance of holding himself back in a confrontation. Ryosuke thought that was nonsense, though. He was a boy. There was no way that he'd back down when the opponent swung their fists. Let no one say that Ryosuke Yamada was a coward who would prefer running and hiding instead of hitting back.

Ryosuke slowly rolled around and stood in front of his best friend who frowned at the multicolor art displayed on his face courtesy of her own boyfriend.

"Have you been fighting?" asked Daiki, calmly. Ryosuke thought that there was no point in lying to her since she already knew about the fight between him and her boyfriend.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't actually but coincidently the only other boy in school who has bruises on his face is Takaki-kun. You two had a fight, didn't you?"

Ouch! What was this pain in his heart, Ryosuke wondered. Learning that Daiki didn't really care that he got hurt somehow felt even more painful than Takaki's punches.

"Takaki-kun has explained to me about the café incident and we've finally resolved our problems. I've misunderstood. The girl that we saw the other day was his cousin from New York. He showed me his family pictures and everything and I believe him."

"Why are you here, then? Instead of being lovey-dovey with your boyfriend?"

"What's with the attitude?" Daiki groused. "Why did you start a fight with Takaki-kun?"

"He's the one who started it!"

"I don't believe it! Takaki-kun wouldn't do that. He's a caring person and the kindest boy I know. He wouldn't start a fight with anyone," denied Daiki vehemently while Ryosuke just snorted at the obvious blind trust that she had towards her boyfriend. "What did you two fighting about anyway? You know I hate it when people fight."

Ryosuke didn't reply. It didn't matter anyway. Nothing he said would change her opinion about Takaki. He didn't even acknowledge her question and refused to look at her.

"Ryo-chan! Answer me!"

" _Urusai!_ It's none of your business. Stop meddling in other people's affairs! Not everything is about you, you know? You're so annoying!" shouted Ryosuke at her and immediately regretted it when he saw his best friend's shocked face.

Daiki looked taken aback by the vehemence in his voice. She stared at him with wide teary eyes. Oh god! He must sound awful. Quarreling was kind of their thing. They often argued about minuscule and ridiculous things and never took it to their heart but this time, it felt different somehow. This was undeniably the biggest of their fight and the first real fight in the history of their friendship.

"If that's what you want," Daiki said in a quiet voice. She nodded once and turned around, leaving Ryosuke alone.

Ryosuke was at a loss. He felt as if he was missing something important but didn't know what it was. He wanted to chase her, to explain himself better, and just stop her from leaving but his legs refused to be moved.

"Dai-chan, please ..."

Please stay. That was what he wanted to say but the wind stole and scattered his words away. He could only watch as she stepped further away leaving a cracked concrete floor between them. That cracked concrete floor then crumbled and created a huge chasm that was impossible to jump over. Ryosuke had never felt so alone.

The chasm had become so wide and deep that he lost sight of the other side but one thing he was sure of was that Daiki was there, waiting on the other side. He just needed to have the courage to take a leap and she would be there. Then, everything would be alright again. Yet, every time he found himself standing at the very edge of the chasm, the atmosphere became very depressing; the wind was biting and the air was cold and unforgiving. Sometimes, the distressing feeling was so unbearable that he threw caution to the wind and took a leap of faith. He never knew where he landed though because he always woke up before his feet touched the ground.

"Ugh, that dream again," grumbled Ryosuke as he rolled out of bed.

Six months had passed but the dream continued to haunt Ryosuke in his sleep. It was always the same, him standing alone on the rooftop with a cracked concrete floor which soon crumbled down and created a huge chasm. Sometimes, he could see someone standing on the other side but oftentimes, he was alone. He was hoping that since today was graduation day, he would finally be spared but alas, things rarely go according to his plan.

He drowsily dragged himself to the bathroom, wishing for the day to end as soon as possible so that he could finally bid farewell to his high school year. He couldn't wait to get out of the house and go to college. His mother knocked on the bathroom door when he was in the middle of rinsing the shampoo out of his eyes.

"Ryosuke, hurry up! Your classmate has waited downstairs. She said she intentionally comes to pick you up to go to your graduation ceremony together."

A classmate of his was picking him up to go to graduation together? Could it be...?

"Wait, mom! What's her name?" shouted Ryosuke from inside the bathroom but no one answered him. His mother was probably already back downstairs with the guest.

Ignoring his still sore eyes, he hurriedly finished his shower before donning his school uniform, feeling the utmost relief that it would be the last time that he'd wear it. Skipping down the stairs with a frown he couldn't help but wonder why his mother wouldn't just tell him Daiki's name. She knew of her already. Unless ...

"Good morning, Yamada-kun!"

Ryosuke stood still in front of the dining table for a moment, staring at Yuri Chinen who sat daintily on one of the chairs around the dining table while his mother put a plate of _omurice_ for him on the table.

"Yuri-chan, do you like _omurice_? I usually just made them when Ryosuke's friend came to visit."

"No need to bother, please! I've already eaten at home. Tea is enough, Yamada-san!" said Yuri politely refusing his mother's offer with a smile.

"Ryosuke, what are you doing standing there like an idiot? Sit and eat your breakfast! Yuri-chan is nice enough to come and pick you up. Don't make her wait!" his mother scolded him before leaving them both to go to the kitchen to prepare Yuri's tea.

Ryosuke dutifully sat on the chair, spooning his _omurice_. "Why did you suddenly come and pick me up? How do you even know where I live?" Ryosuke quietly asked Yuri.

"Just eat your breakfast! We'll be late if you don't hurry!" scolded Yuri.

"You're even worse than Dai-chan," grumbled Ryosuke pouting.

🌸  
🌸  
🌸

"Now that we're out of my mother's earshot, would you tell me the reason for your sudden visit to my house? Did Dai-chan ask you?" asked Ryosuke a few minutes after they left his home and walked together to their school. He used to walk to school with Daiki because both of their houses were in the same direction. Since Ryosuke's house was closer to school, Daiki used to pick him up but things changed ever since that fight.

"Actually, that's what I wanna talk to you about," said Yuri in a serious tone.

"Eh? What is it?"

"I'm worried about Dai-chan. She often spaces out lately and always looks weary. Whenever I asked her, she just said that she's tired from studying for the finals and for the University's entrance test. I know that her family is very strict and they want her to go to their chosen University but I think that's not the only reason why she looks so stressed out. You must have noticed it too, right?"

"Err..."

Well, how should he answer that? He had stopped paying attention to Daiki ever since that fight six months ago. After the fight, Daiki started to spend more of her time with her boyfriend, ignoring him even more. She no longer challenged him to do a game battle or even bled Ryosuke's ear with talks about her favorite author's newest released books. She no longer told him about game cheats that she had managed to crack just as he no longer sent her his game score updates. He didn't even know if she was still playing the game. There were never again watching funny videos together on the internet and or having nonsense arguments about celebrity conspiracy that Daiki loved so much. He knew that she was still on good terms with Yuri and their other classmates. She just stopped caring about him and he did the same. Because that was what she wanted, right?

"Right, Yamada?" Yuri asked him again.

Ryosuke rubbed his nape nervously. "Uh... I don't really know..."

The growling voice that came from the petite girl next to him was enough to make him want to run back home. This girl was scary.

"You're her best friend," she said in a deadpanned tone that made Ryosuke feel uneasy.

He sighed. "Look, we had disagreements, alright?"

"You _had_ disagreements. Had. Past tense. It doesn't have to be forever. And it's just disagreements. Can you two just, I dunno agree to disagree or something?"

"I don't think it's that simple," murmured Ryosuke. He was not sure what Yuri wanted from him through this conversation.

A punch to his left arm sent him tittering to the side. "Ow! Why did you hit me?!"

"Because of your stupidity!"

"I never said that I'm smart. You don't have to hit me for that. Damn girl! You hit like a pro wrestler," grumbled Ryosuke as he rubbed his hurt left arm. He was sure there would be bruises later.

"I'm the champion for last year's kickboxing tournament," informed the petite girl calmly.

Ryosuke's eyes widened. His brain told him not to mess with this girl but his mouth seemed to have severed its connection to his brain because he suddenly asked, "Last year's tournament? How about this year?"

He immediately cursed his big mouth when Yuri fiercely glared at him. "Ah, _gomen!_ " he hurriedly said while quickly taking a few steps away from her, worried that she would hit him again.

"High school boys!" Yuri lamented. "I swear you guys just get dumber and dumber every year."

Ryosuke wanted to rebuke her statement but was too afraid to be the recipient of another punch. Besides, his parents raised him right and told him to never hit the opposite sex. So, he wouldn't be able to retaliate even if she hit him again. She quickly forgave him, though, and quickly launched into an explanation about what she thought of Daiki's strange behavior.

"I haven't known her for long and we just got close at the beginning of this school year but I'm worried nonetheless. I think it's even worse than when she had a fight with Takaki. So, I thought to ask you since you know her longer," Yuri explained.

Ryosuke felt ashamed when he listened to Yuri's explanation. The fact that he missed all of those changes in Daiki said a lot about the extent to which he had failed to be a good friend. He knew that it was none of his business with whom Daiki had a romantic relationship with. She was not his girlfriend, anyway. They were just best friends but he had let his ego go to his head resulting in that messy fight and the end of their friendship. It clearly still bothered him up to this day because even this morning he was still plagued by that same dream.

Yuri didn't say anything else until they reached school but before she went to join their other classmates she asked him to keep an eye on Daiki because she wouldn't be able to.

"You both don't go to the same University? You know, the one where that famous novelist went to," asked Ryosuke.

"Nope. I'm going to a boarding school," Yuri told him with a grin that looked very suspicious. "That's why I'm worried about her. Just, please ... keep an eye on her will you?"

Ryosuke could only nod.

"Well, good talk! See ya!" And the girl skipped away towards where the rest of their classmates had gathered in front of their classroom.

He noticed Daiki was among them and both girls soon became involved in a lively conversation. At first glance, he didn't see anything wrong but after he took a better look at Daiki he realized that Yuri was right. She looked pale and worn out with a very little smile on her face. It could be because of stress if what Yuri said about her entrance test was right, but it was still worrying. In the two and a half years he was friends with Daiki, he had never seen her like that. Daiki was an optimist who had a bright outlook about life in general. She was a cheerful girl and always passionate about school and everything around her. So, seeing her looked dispassionate and weary was disconcerting.

🌸🌸🌸

🌺

🌸🌸🌸

To be continued ...


End file.
